MELT & IHG AND THEIR NEW BRAND AVID HOTEL NAMED AS FINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS THE DRUM MARKETING AWARDS USA 2019

MELT AND INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL GROUP (IHG) AND THEIR NEW BRAND AVID HOTEL NAMED AS FINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS THE DRUM MARKETING AWARDS USA 2019; NOMINATION IS FOR THE EVENT/EXPERIENTIAL STRATEGY CATEGORY SUPPORTING IHG’S FIRST NEW BRAND LAUNCH IN YEARS

MELT, the Atlanta-based, award-winning sports, entertainment, culinary, lifestyle and esports marketing agency announced today that they and their client, The Intercontinental Hotel Group/AVID Hotel Brand has been named a finalist in the Event/Experiential Strategy category for a prestigious Drum Marketing Award USA 2019. The Drum is a UK-based marketing and trade industry media and multi-platform company that provides marketing and advertising agency executives global insight into the marketing industry and profession.

MELT has worked with The Intercontinental Hotel Group for several years including their activation of Holiday Inn Express, The Southeastern Conference (SEC), SEC Network, SEC Nation and The Paul Finebaum Show sponsorship. When executives from IHG first approached MELT Founder/Chairman and CEO Vince Thompson about the opportunity to help the global company launch its first new hotel brand, AVID, in many years, Thompson and his team at MELT jumped at the opportunity.

“MELT has had a great, longstanding relationship with IHG, Holiday Inn Express and their leaders for many years,” said Thompson. “And to be a part of a new important phase and evolution of their company, their brand and to reach travelers and consumers, was certainly an honor.”

The launch of the first AVID Hotel was in the fall of 2018 in Oklahoma City, OK. The strategy was to showcase AVID to a new set of consumers who are both travel-savvy and price-conscious. Events and activities included a gala, an appearance by American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, integration into the Oklahoma Thunder NBA team, the Oklahoma State Fair and many other activities. The MELT AVID Account Service and Management Team was led by Vice President Travis Rice with support from Darbi Lou Todd and Eddie Martin.

MELT continues a hot-streak in the marketing industry and industry awards as this is their 13th award or nomination since 2017 including:

“I’m so proud of our MELT team, our relationship with IHG and all the great work that we’ve done together,” said Thompson. “Our teams continue to shine and do tremendous thinking, work, and execution.”